Travel
Seismogram Interpretation
Seismogram Example
Long-period transverse
displacement for an
earthquake at 600km
depth recorded at 130o
(synthetic).
How can we extract
information from
seismograms on Earth
structure?
-> identify phases
-> pick travel times
-> collect travel times as
4400s
a function of distance
Seismogram Interpretation
Seismogram Interpretation
History of Travel-Times
Seismogram Interpretation
Particular phases at
teleseismic distances are
named after the wave
types (P or S), regions
they pass along their
path, and emergence
angle at the source
(upwards or downwards).
Seismogram Interpretation
The core-mantle
boundary has the most
dominant effect on the
global wavefield. Multiple
reflections
from it reveal
information on
attenuation and the
structure near the CMB.
Seismogram Interpretation
P
S
small p
small s
c
K
i
I
diff
P waves
S waves
depth phases (P)
depth phases (S)
Reflection from CMB
wave inside core
Reflection from Inner core boundary
wave through inner core
diffractions at CMB
Examples:
PcP, pPcS, SKS, PKKKP, PKiKP, PKIKP, sSS, pSSS,
sPcS, etc.
Seismogram Interpretation
Seismogram Interpretation
Seismogram Interpretation
Seismogram Interpretation
Seismogram Interpretation
SH waves: seismograms
SH-seismograms
for a source at
600km depth
Seismogram Interpretation
Red and yellow color denote positive and negative vertical displacement,
respectively. Left: homogeneous mantle, right: realistic spherically symmetric
model (Preliminary Reference Earth Model, PREM)
Wavefield for explosion at 600km depth.
Seismogram Interpretation
Red and yellow color denote positive and negative vertical displacement,
respectively. Left: homogeneous mantle, right: realistic spherically symmetric
model (Preliminary Reference Earth Model, PREM)
Wavefield for explosion at 600km depth.
Seismogram Interpretation
Red and yellow color denote positive and negative vertical displacement,
respectively. Left: homogeneous mantle, right: realistic spherically symmetric
model (Preliminary Reference Earth Model, PREM)
Wavefield for explosion at 600km depth.
Seismogram Interpretation
Seismogram Interpretation
Seismogram Interpretation
Seismogram Interpretation
Seismogram Interpretation
Seismogram Interpretation
Seismogram Interpretation
Seismogram Interpretation
Seismogram Interpretation
Seismogram Interpretation
Seismogram Interpretation
P-wave seismograms
P-wave seismograms for a source at 200km depth, can you identify some phases?
Ray-theoretical travel times are added for the direct P wave, the PP and the PKP
phase.
Seismology and the Earths Deep Interior
Seismogram Interpretation
PKP phase at 145o distance (source at surface). Note the sudden change of
amplitude! Why?
Seismology and the Earths Deep Interior
Seismogram Interpretation
SH-wave seismograms
Seismogram Interpretation
Epicentral Ranges
Seismogram Interpretation
Seismogram Interpretation
Bayrischzell
Seismogram Interpretation
Freiburg M5.4
Seismogram Interpretation
Bam M6.8
Seismogram Interpretation
Hokkaido M7.0
Seismogram Interpretation
Seismogram Interpretation
.
We have recorded a set of travel times and we want to determine the
structure of the Earth.
In a very general sense we are looking for an Earth model that minimizes
the difference between a theoretical prediction and the observed data:
obs
traveltimes
Seismogram Interpretation
Wiechert-Herglotz Inversion
Previously we derived the travel times for a given layered velocity
structure for flat and spherical media: the forward problem
Flat
z
T pX 2 1 / c 2 ( z ) p 2 dz
0
Spherical
r1
T p 2
r0
r 2 / c 2 ( z) p 2
dr
2
r
The first term depends only on the horizontal distance and the second
term only depends on r (z), the vertical dimension.
Seismogram Interpretation
Wiechert-Herglotz Inversion
The solution to the inverse problem can be obtained after some
manipulation of the integral :
r1
T p 2
r0
r0
r 2 / c 2 ( z) p 2
1 1
1 p
d
dr ln cosh
2
r
r1 0
1
forward problem
inverse problem
The integral of the inverse problem contains only terms which can be
obtained from observed T() plots. The quantity 1=p1=(dT/d)1 is the
slope of T() at distance .The integral is numerically evaluated
with discrete values of p() for all from 0 to 1. We obtain a value
for r1 and the corresponding velocity at depth r1 is obtained through
1=r1/v1.
Seismogram Interpretation
Seismogram Interpretation
Structural
sensitivity can be
improved by using
the complete
wavefield
information and
broadband data:
waveform shape can
constrain complexity
Improving full
wavefield modelling
and inversion is one
of the most
important goals in
modern seismology!
Seismogram Interpretation
Seismic Tomography
Seismogram Interpretation
T vds( s ) u ( s )ds
s
u(s)ds T T
obs
Tpred
T l j u j
j
Ti lij u j
j
Seismogram Interpretation
Seismic Tomography
Seismogram Interpretation
Seismogram Interpretation
Wellen in Subduktionszonen
Seismogram Interpretation
Globale Beobachtungen
Alaska, M7.9, November 2002
Seismogram Interpretation
Globale Beobachtungen
Alaska, M7.9, November 2002
Seismogram Interpretation
Globale Beobachtungen
Alaska, M7.9, November 2002
Seismogram Interpretation
Receiver Functions
Receiver functions
have been used
recently to study
upper mantle
structure.
Seismogram Interpretation
(1) Global average; (2,3) lower mantle; (4,5,6) upper mantle from surface waves; (7)
asthenosphere; (8) upper mantle from body waves; (9) upper mantle; (11-14)
lithosphere; (15,16) crust.
Seismology and the Earths Deep Interior
Seismogram Interpretation
Multiple reflections
from the core mantle
boundary can be used
to infer the
attenuation of
seismic waves inside
the mantle
Seismogram Interpretation
Seismogram Interpretation